Heat generated from the HDI exhaust system and modifing the stock exhaust

[mightymaxIV]

Heat from the exhaust system is one of the things that has plauged my Argo HDI since I have owned it. As a passenger you could feel the radiated heat from the engine and the exhaust system. When you opened the hood the radiated heat from the exhaust was very intense and I worried about damage to the plastic panels. Argo placed the hugh stock muffler right over the belt drive system and on hot days you could feel that expensive HDI belt start to slip and chatter.

Enough, a call to Robertson's torque tubes in S.D. got me a custom set of tubes with a two into one collector and an awesome disc muffler that makes that Kohler engine sound a lot like a Harley (sorry son-Mike owns and loves his Harley's)

Anyway, the new exhaust is in place and hopefully the heat issues will be resolved, I got a little more power out of the engine and the sound is really, really nice!

[Rusty-Gunn]

Nice sounding engine.

[Rock Doctor]

It does sound good, but I would be concerned with catching that Muffler against a tree as I rubbed past. Any way to shorten it, or pull it back into the shroud just a bit?

(Not slamming it at all, I like it, just a concern I would have)

RD

[Noel Woods]

I've never heard of a disc muffler, nor seen one. That's a nice compact and low resistance unit. I also like the headers very much as they eliminate the heat tank otherwise known as the muffler. The headers really clean up the engine compartment and should ease the effort to replace the belt as well.

Better even still to get another couple additional horse power from a package that runs cooler, and sounds great.

Very innovative.

[mightymaxIV]

I've never heard of a disc muffler, nor seen one. That's a nice compact and low resistance unit. I also like the headers very much as they eliminate the heat tank otherwise known as the muffler. The headers really clean up the engine compartment and should ease the effort to replace the belt as well.

Better even still to get another couple additional horse power from a package that runs cooler, and sounds great.

Very innovative.

Hey Noel, the great thing about the disc muffler is-it is tunable! Add disc to lower back pressure, or remove disc to quiet the muffler down and increase back pressure.

[Sol]

very cool!

[mightymaxIV]

It does sound good, but I would be concerned with catching that Muffler against a tree as I rubbed past. Any way to shorten it, or pull it back into the shroud just a bit?

(Not slamming it at all, I like it, just a concern I would have)

RD

Hey Doc, ya I have the same concern, but for now I am just going to watch it carefully, but in time it may have to be shortened up a bit.

[Sard]

Hi Dan,

What was the temperature/humidity on the days you were having problems? Any concerns about the increased power on the drive-train? Thanks for your detailed video on your modifications. I love the idea!

[mightymaxIV]

Hi Dan,

What was the temperature/humidity on the days you were having problems? Any concerns about the increased power on the drive-train? Thanks for your detailed video on your modifications. I love the idea!

Hey Sard, I don't believe the machine has ever been run under 70 degrees, most of the time the temperature was over 80 degrees. Any time I run the machine in late spring, summer or late fall I can pretty much plan on temperatures above 80 degrees. I am right on coast and this area has hundreds of miles of marsh lands with a coastal salt marsh right behind my home so humidity in Savannah is always high, almost always above 50%. Even in the winter Savannah it will get into the 70's so unless I take it out early on a winter morning it is going to be warm. (we do get into the 30's and high 20's on winter nights and mornings)

So basically anytime I run the machine I am generally going to be in warm temperatures, the exception being cool (45-55 degrees) winter days.

Pertaining to power-The exhaust system doesn't really produce enough extra power to put a strain on an already good HDI drive train.

[Sard]

That's good information, thanks for the reply.